FLINT, Michigan —Michael Moore's documentary, "Capitalism: A Love Story" — the same documentary that criticized government handouts to big business — has been approved for a taxpayer-funded subsidy from the state of Michigan, the Midland-based Mackinac Center for Public Policy is reporting.

The Mackinac Center, a vocal critic of the state's film subsidies, is also critical of the move by Moore's production team.

The think tank has put together a video clip of a July 2008 forum in which Moore seemed skeptical of the state's plan to offer subsidies to filmmakers.

Hollyn Johnson | The Flint JournalFilmmaker Michael Moore talks to reporters before the screening of his new documentary, "Capitalism: A Love Story," at The Whiting in Flint.

"Why do they need our money, from Michigan, from our taxpayers, when we’re already broke here?" Moore asked at the Traverse City event. "I mean, they play one state against another, and so they get all this free cash when they’re making billions already in profits. What’s the thinking behind that?”

The state's film credit program provides refundable tax credits worth as much as 42 percent of expenditures for movies made in the state.

The Mackinac Center said the Michigan Film Office would not disclose how much the payment would be for "Capitalism."

“While we don’t blame Mr. Moore and his production team for taking what is offered, it’s striking that a movie focused on the inequities of granting taxpayer dollars to private enterprise would apply for and receive taxpayer-funded incentives,” said Michael LaFaive, fiscal policy director at the Mackinac Center.

Portions of "Capitalism" were filmed in Flint, including one scene in which Moore and his father walked along General Motors' old Buick City site.

The Mackinac Center said its attempts to reach Moore about the tax credits were unsuccessful.

"Given the state’s precarious fiscal status, should struggling families and businesses continue subsidizing filmmakers?” LaFaive said in a news release. “How can a state with the nation’s worst unemployment rate justify special tax favors to millionaire filmmakers?"